In this blog, we’ll look at how a texting and driving simulator can support your distracted driving awareness program and help participants understand the real dangers of driving while distracted through hands-on, engaging experiences.
Distracted driving awareness is most effective when participants can experience the dangers of distraction for themselves, not just hear about them. A texting and driving simulator provides a hands-on an authentic, hands-on driving experience that shows participants what can happen when they take their eyes off the road. The Fatal Vision® lineup of distracted driving products was designed to actively engage participants through hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations, giving educators practical ways to show the effects of distraction in a safe learning environment. Let’s take a look at how a texting and driving simulator and other hands-on tools can strengthen your distracted driving awareness program.
When you hear the phrase “driving simulator,” you may picture a virtual reality setup. However, the Fatal Vision texting and driving simulator options provide a much more hands-on, realistic driving experience. Both the Roadster Pedal Kart and SIDNE® (Simulated Impaired Driving Experience) are small vehicles that allow participants to drive in a way similar to how they would drive a car. Participants first try driving without any impairments, then try driving again while using the Fatal Vision® Drowsy and Distracted Driving Goggles to simulate how dangerous it can be to send a text, answer a phone call, or engage in other distractions while driving.
When used in tandem with the Fatal Vision Drowsy and Distracted Driving Goggles, a texting and driving simulator shows participants the experience of delayed reactions and other impaired effects that result from texting while driving. The goggles feature three impairment modes to simulate different types of distraction and drowsiness: Distracted Dial blacks out the goggles for three seconds, Distracted Text blacks out for 4.6 seconds to simulate reading or responding to a text, and Drowsy mode simulates momentary micro-sleeps that build in waves up to a 10-second blackout.
The goggles are available as part of the Drowsy and Distracted Driving Goggle Kits, which come with activities that highlight the importance of keeping focus and attention on the road. These interactive elements can help engage students and help them understand the risks associated with drowsy or distracted driving in a way that sparks conversation and reflection.
A texting and driving simulator pairs well with other hands-on distracted driving activities. The DIES® Distracted Driving Activity Mat challenges participants to drive through a simulated town using a steering wheel, first without distractions and then with added distractions like texting. The Distract-A-Match® game demonstrates the impact of cognitive, visual, and manual distractions on reaction time and judgment through a timed shape-matching activity.
Using a texting and driving simulator together with these activities gives educators a variety of tools to keep participants engaged and the program dynamic. Students watching their peers use the SIDNE or Roadster Pedal Kart will see their classmates veering off course and braking erratically. Observing peers in this way can provide a powerful learning experience for everyone involved, not just those behind the wheel.
Adding a texting and driving simulator to your distracted driving awareness program can make a lasting impact on participants. These simulators offer a memorable, realistic, and safe driving experience that actively engages participants while helping them understand the dangers of driving while distracted. By combining a texting and driving simulator with goggles, activity mats, and other hands-on tools, students can learn and retain information about safe driving and apply it when real-world decisions matter. For more on our distracted driving tools, explore our blog on the benefits of distracted driving simulators or read about scenarios illustrated by our distracted driving simulator and goggles.
Ready to add a texting and driving simulator to your program? Shop our products or reach out to the Fatal Vision team.
Innocorp is the pioneering developer of Fatal Vision® Goggles and other experiential learning tools designed to educate on the dangers of impairment and promote risk prevention. Innocorp provides impactful, hands-on resources used globally by law enforcement, educators, and safety professionals to demonstrate the consequences of substance use, risky driving, and other dangerous behaviors.
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